This formulation of Chinese Medicine has been temporarily named Bu-Nao-Gao (meaning a decoction for brain nourishment). This formulation was derived from the “finger citron powder (Fo-Shou) therapeutic serie of Chinese medicine” developed by the inventor (2, 3). This “finger citron powder (Fo-Shou) therapeutic serie was derived and modified based on an ancient formulation of Chinese medicine named “Finger citron powder” (also termed “Fo-Shou powder” or “XiongQui powder”). The ancient formulation of “Finger citron powder” contains two ingredients (Radix Angelica Sinensis and Ligusticum chuanxiong), and can be found in “TaiPingShengHuiFang” and also be described in the classical books of Chinese Medicine “PuJiFang” and “YiZongJinJian”. This ancient formulation was mainly used for treating various prenatal and postpartum disorders. This “finger citron powder (Fo-Shou) therapeutic serie” developed by the inventor contains many formulations which differ in compositions, but all had an emphasis on the higher dosage use of Radix Angelica Sinensis from Min County, GanSu province, P. R. China.
During the early phase of this invention, the inventor explored many different strategies of Chinese Medicine for the treatment of neurological diseases. The early publications (4–29), though still an incomplete list, reflected some of the many attempts made by the inventor to define a therapeutic role (or a consensus formulation) for treating diseases/or disorders of this system. Disorders successfully treated and described in these early reports include (many are anecdotal cases): all kinds of paralysis resulting from head trauma, cranial nerve injuries, aphasia, motor neuron disease, sequel of apoplexy, pseudo-bulbar palsy of apoplexy, post-infective arachnoiditis, sequel of encephalitis, patient in vegetative state, myelitis, polyneuritis, muscle stiffness, muscle spasm, etc. In these publications (also these not listed here), many ingredients later described in this application were used at various time points and at various dosages, and ingredients not included in this application were also used. Nevertheless, no consensus formulation can be obviously derived from any of the previous reports. With accumulated clinical experience of using various decoctions and their combinations in treating various neurological diseases, a consensus formulation was eventually derived, and its efficacy for various uses became established.
Under normal circumstances, neurons within the brain or spinal cord are unable to regenerate damaged connections. As a result of this, neuronal injuries of all causes (i.e. spinal cord injury, head trauma, stroke or neurodegenerative diseases) generally lead to serious and irreversible loss in functions. The consequences of neuronal injuries and neurodegenerative diseases put a heavy burden on all of humanity. The following are examples describing the realities of the above diseases or conditions:
Feeblemindedness and cerebral palsy: According to the statistical data reported in America in 1973, the worldwide prevalence of feeblemindedness is 3% (mild type: 2.5%, moderate type: 0.5%); its prevalence in China is 0.5–2.7% (mild type) and 0.3–1% (severe type); the prevalence of cerebral palsy is 0.1–0.2% worldwide, and 0.1–0.4% (approximately 2 million in China). Our diagnosis of feeblemindedness also includes cerebral Palsy. According the most recent information released by American National Health Institute (NIH): more than 500,000 Americans have cerebral palsy (this information may also be considered as a reference for its global trend). The number of children and adults it affects has remained essentially unchanged or perhaps risen slightly over the past 30 years.
For paralysis or other disability caused by brain injury: There are currently 5.3 million Americans living with disability caused by brain injury. Each year, at least 1.5 million people sustain brain injury (at a speed one every 21 seconds). This public health concern ranks as the leading cause of death and disability in children and young adults. Currently, prevention is the only known cure for brain injury. This statistics came from the information released by the Brain Injury Association, Inc. (Alexandria, Va., USA). This information may also be used as a reference for the worldwide trend of brain injury.
Dementia of all types: e.g. Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia among people age 65 and older. It was estimated that up to 4 million people in America currently suffer with the disease, and the prevalence (the number of people with the disease at any one time) doubles every 5 years beyond age 65. Approximately 360,000 new cases are estimated to emerge each year and to increase as the population ages (According to the 2000 progress report on Alzheimer's disease from the National Health Institute (NIH) of America).
Motor neuron disease: its most severe form-Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease, is a devastating neurological disorder that robs people of their ability to move, eventually causing death. ALS is relentless in its progression. About 5,000 people in the United States develop ALS each year, and about 90% of them die within 5 years when symptoms are first detected. There is so far no proven means to stop or significantly slow the progress of ALS (according to the most recent information released by the National Health Institute (NIH) of America—updated May 18, 2000).
All above statistical data (although mainly derived from sources in America) can be used as a reference for the worldwide trend of each problem.
Treatment of all above conditions has been one of the biggest challenges to our biomedical field. Treatment regimes worldwide involve neuroprotectants and physical therapies, and these regimes have been expensive with only limited clinical benefits. No generally accepted effective treatment is so far available. In recent years, there has been some progress in using Chinese Medicine for the treatment of the above diseases; however, their effectiveness has been limited due to big case-to-case variations and low reproducibility.